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5.0 from 9 votes

Imitation Fin Soup (碗仔翅)

How to make Hong Kong Style Imitation Shark Fin Soup. Elevate this nostalgic street food with techniques that yield refined gourmet flavors. Enjoy silky umami thick soup packed with deliciously complex flavors and satisfying textures.

Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 - 8
Calories: 111 kcal
Course: Soup , Snacks
Cuisine: Asian , Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454g) pork shoulder , 1.5-inch thick
  • 20 grams dried shiitake mushrooms , rehydrated and thinly sliced
  • 10 grams dried wood ear mushrooms , rehydrated and roughly chopped
  • 42 grams Chinese vermicelli (粉絲) , rehydrated and cut to 4” - 6”
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) ginger , sliced
  • 3 (10g) garlic cloves , roughly minced
  • Optional: 80 grams bamboo shoots , julienne
  • 1 large egg , beaten
For Optional Browning Step
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) peanut oil or vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Soup
  • 4 cups (1L) unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 cups (500ml) shiitake mushroom stock or unsalted chicken stock
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Regular soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) roasted sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon (4g) fine salt
  • 5 grams rock sugar or granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon (0.4g) ground white pepper
Thickener
  • 5 tablespoons (45g) cornstarch or water chestnut starch (馬蹄粉)
  • ~⅓ cup (93ml) cold water
Garnish
  • roasted sesame oil
  • Chinese red vinegar (大紅浙醋)
  • ground white pepper

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms and Vermicelli: Rinse dried shiitake mushrooms & wood ear mushrooms under tap water to remove any dirt or residue. In a 500ml measuring cup, rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms with 2 cups (500ml) 120°F warm water.In 2 separate bowls, rehydrate dried wood ear mushrooms and vermicelli with 2 cups (500ml) warm water in each bowl. Soak them for 30 to 60 minutes until softened.
  2. Prepare Other Ingredients: To save time, prepare other ingredients while the dried ingredients are rehydrating.Shiitake Mushrooms: Once shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated and softened, squeeze all liquid out of the mushrooms, remove stems, then slice them thinly. Save the shiitake mushroom liquid, we'll use it as stock later in the recipe.Wood Ear Mushrooms: Roughly chop the wood ear mushrooms.Vermicelli: Cut rehydrated vermicelli to 4" - 6" long.
  3. Optional - Brown Pork Shoulder: Heat up Instant Pot by using “Sauté More” function. Wait until it says "HOT" on the screen (~8 mins). Pat dry pork shoulder, then lightly season one side of pork with salt and ground black pepper. Add 1 tbsp (15ml) peanut oil or vegetable oil in Instant Pot. Make sure the oil is coating the whole bottom of the pot. Carefully place the seasoned side of pork in Instant Pot. Lightly season the other side of pork with salt and ground black pepper. Brown one side of pork for 5 minutes before flipping over, then brown the other side for another 5 minutes. You don't need to constantly flip the meat. Set aside the browned pork in a large container.
  4. Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing wine and 1 cup (250ml) shiitake mushroom stock in Instant Pot, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon. Amy + Jacky's Notes: If you skipped Step 3, add Shaoxing wine with other ingredients in the next step.
  5. Pressure Cook Imitation Shark Fin Soup: Press "Cancel" button to turn off Instant Pot. Add browned pork in Instant Pot. Add in sliced rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, sliced ginger, minced garlic, 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 2 tsp (10ml) dark soy sauce, 1 tsp (5ml) roasted sesame oil, ½ tsp (4g) fine salt, 5g rock sugar or granulated sugar, and ⅛ tsp (0.4g) ground white pepper. Add in remaining shiitake mushroom stock and 4 cups (1L) unsalted chicken stock.Close lid and turn the Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 18 minutes, then Natural Release for 15 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. When Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.
  6. Shred Pork and Add Ingredients: Place pork in a large bowl. Discard ginger slices. Add bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and vermicelli to the soup. Bring the soup back to a boil using "Saute High" function. Allow the soup to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. While you're waiting for the soup to boil, shred the pork with two forks.Amy + Jacky's Vermicelli Tips: If you're planning to boil the soup for longer, add the vermicelli later so they don't lose their bounciness and get too soft.
  7. Thicken Soup: In a mixing bowl, combine 5 tbsp (45g) cornstarch with ~⅓ cup (93ml) cold water. Stir thoroughly. When the soup is simmering, mix the cornstarch mixture into the soup one-third at a time until desired thickness.
  8. Add Egg, Season, and Serve Imitation Shark Fin Soup: Slowly add 1 large beaten egg to the soup while stirring with a continuous circular motion. Add shredded pork back in the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, and ground white pepper if needed. To serve, drizzle extra roasted sesame oil on top if you like. And serve Imitation Shark Fin Soup with Chinese red vinegar on the side. Enjoy~

Notes

  • 1) Pork Shoulder: Pick one that has some nice marbling for the best results.
  • 2) Chinese Vermicelli (粉絲 / 粉條 / 冬粉): Aka bean thread vermicelli, mung bean vermicelli, glass noodles, or cellophane noodles. They're transparent noodles made from starch and water. Not the Korean glass noodles used in japchae.
  • 3) Bamboo Shoots (竹筍): For convenience, consistency, and ease of access, we used canned bamboo shoots.
  • 4) Soy Sauce: We used both regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce in this recipe. If you don’t have dark soy sauce, you can substitute it by adding a bit of sugar in the end.
  • 5) Unsalted Chicken Stock: We develop recipes with unsalted ingredients so we can better control the flavors. If you’re substituting it with salted chicken stock, keep in mind that the sodium level can vary a lot between different brands. Taste and adjust accordingly.
  • 6) Chinese Red Vinegar (大紅浙醋): A rice vinegar that's different from Chinkiang vinegar or red wine vinegar. It's an optional topping that adds a distinctive yet delicate aroma and light & refreshing tartness to the soup.
  • 7) Preparing Shiitake Mushrooms (Step 1): When rehydrating the dried shiitake mushrooms, place a small mixing bowl on top of the shiitake mushrooms to make sure the mushrooms are fully submerged in the warm water.
  • 8) Glass Lid (Step 6): If you have a glass lid, cover the soup as you bring it back to a boil. It'll speed up the process.
  • 9) Thicker Soup: If you enjoy a thicker soup, use an extra tbsp (9g) cornstarch and 1 tbsp (15ml) cold water.
  • 10) Total Cook Time: The time doesn't include rehydrating time.
  • Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!

Nutrition Information

Calories 111kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.003g Cholesterol 44mg (15%) Sodium 409mg (17%) Potassium 335mg (10%) Fiber 0.3g (1%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 32IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 19mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6- 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories 111

% Daily Value*

Calories 111kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.003g 0%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 409mg 17%
Potassium 335mg 7%
Fiber 0.3g 1%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 32IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 19mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.